FAQs

Tomatosphere™ is an award-winning program where students investigate the effects of the space environment on the growth of tomato seeds.

Educators who register for the program receive two sets of tomato seeds.

One package contains seeds sent into space on the International Space Station or treated in space-simulated conditions (space-simulated seeds undergo treatments that simulate the extreme conditions of interplanetary travel). The other contains "control" seeds, which are untreated. Students plant the seeds and conduct experiments to explore the effects of the space environment on the germination of tomatoes. Tomatosphere™ is a free program and seeds typically arrive in classrooms between February and April each year.

Through Tomatosphere™, students learn how to conduct a scientific experiment and compare germination rates of the two groups of seeds. Classrooms discover which seeds are the “space” seeds and which are the control group after they submit their results online.

The Seed Investigation (measuring germination) takes between 1-3 weeks. Educators may choose to continue growing the plants, conducting other inquiries such as plant vigour, over a longer time period (4-6 additional weeks or longer).

Planting can take place at any point in the year, but results should be submitted by the end of June (for spring planting) and by mid-January (for fall planting).

Canadian educators, homeschool or community groups can receive seeds by registering online. It’s free to register but participants must provide their own growing supplies. Educators must register each time they wish to receive seeds.

I’m located in the United States. How do I order seeds?

The Tomatosphere™ program is operated in the United States by First the Seed Foundation. If you are located in the United States, please visit firsttheseedfoundation.org/tomatosphere to register for seeds.

Tomatosphere™ is only available in Canada and the United States due to regulations around importing and exporting seeds.

There are opportunities for teachers to direct students to gather a variety of information about the tomato plants, their germination, vigour and growth patterns. However, the key element of Tomatosphere™ Seed Investigation focuses on the germination rates of the seeds that are planted. The students will observe:

1. The time required for each seed to successfully germinate
2. The number of successfully germinated seeds in each treatment

Students will compile information, the teacher will submit the results online at the Tomatosphere™ website and the results will be combined with the other experiments across Canada. Once submitted, the teacher will learn which of the seeds were in each of the two seed packages. Students will be able to compare their class data with other classrooms. In addition, teachers receive a certificate of participation for students in the class. The certificate is signed by former Canadian Space Agency astronaut, Dr. Robert Thirsk, and the principal investigator of the Tomatosphere™ program, Dr. Michael Dixon from the University of Guelph.

Tomatosphere™ offers an excellent opportunity to have students think and act like scientists as they practice their inquiry skills and develop understandings of the nature of science and the concept of a fair test. Tomatosphere™ connects with the curriculum for science inquiry and process skills, as well as the following science content strands:

• Grades K-2: needs and characteristics of living things
• Grades 3-4: plants, soil, habitats, nutrition
• Grades 5-6: space, human needs, weather
• Grades 7-8: Mars, careers, environmental studies
• Grades 9-10: space exploration, nutrition, environmental studies
• Grades 11-12: ecosystems, agriculture/agriscience, photosynthesis, sustainable development, planetary science, space exploration, plant biology

Tomatoes are extremely versatile and nutritious. They have high levels of vitamin A and vitamin C and also contain lycopene, an ingredient that may help prevent certain cancers and cardiovascular disease. Tomato plants are an ideal choice for space travel as they provide wholesome nourishment and water through transpiration from their leaves. Through photosynthesis, tomato plants also convert light energy and carbon dioxide exhaled by astronauts into oxygen that is needed for survival.

The seeds are a plum tomato type from traditional, conventional sources and have not been altered through any means (including biotechnology). They are a variety of seed from H.J. Heinz. This is a very versatile variety that can be used for tomato paste products, fresh juice, and whole peel. The plants will produce mature fruit in a period between 85 and 105 days depending upon growing conditions.

Teachers and students will not know the origin of the two different types of seeds used in the program until germination results have been submitted. This maintains the validity of the experiment.

One group of seeds is a control group; these seeds have had no special treatment. A second group of seeds are either sent to space to spend time on the International Space Station or are treated in space-like conditions.

Mars will be the next major global space program after the International Space Station and the establishment of a base on the Moon. Canada is positioning itself to play a signature role in the exploration of Mars and in the provision of life support and closed environment systems for space travel.

Tomatosphere™ is a project aimed primarily at classroom delivery. However, homeschool parents and organizations, as well as community groups and organization such as libraries, after-school programs, and summer camps, etc. are welcome to participate as well.

The consortium of partners who oversee Tomatosphere™ include the Canadian Space Agency, HeinzSeed, Let’s Talk Science, First-the-Seed Foundation, Stokes Seeds, and the University of Guelph. Let’s Talk Science manages the operations of Tomatosphere™ in Canada while First the Seed Foundation manages the operations of Tomatosphere™ in the United States. Visit the Tomatosphere Consortium page for more information.

A listing of Tomatosphere™ supporters in Canada can be found on the supporters page.